Transfer element



R. A. STARK TRANSFEB ELEMENT April 3, 1934.

Filed Oct. 14, 1931 INVENTOR W W Patented Apr. 3, 1934 PATENT OFFICETRANSFER ELEMENT .Robert A. Stark, Park Ridge, N. J., assignor to'Mittag & Volger, Incorporated, Park Ridge, N. J., a corporation ofNew'Jersey Application) October 14,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a transfer element and has particularreference to an element having ink or other transfer material only onone face thereof.

5 Inked ribbons used heretofore for transferring impressions from typeor the like ,to a sheet of paper, frequently clog the type with ink,dirt and thread particles of the ribbon fabric if the type'is applieddirectly to the ribbon, so that the impression made by the type is notclear-cut and the type must be`cleaned periodically. Also,

if the ribbon is used for transfer purposes between two or more sheetsof paper in place of the usual carbon paper, or the like, the back ofthe sheet to which the type is applied or the surface of the sheetsopposite the type sides thereof are smudged by the back of the ribbon sothat a clean, clear-cut transfer job devoid of smudges cannot beobtained.

The so-called Semi-inked ribbon used heretofore and consisting of afabric ribbon inked only on one side is subject to the same objectionsoutlined in connection with the `usual form of fullyinked ribbon, exceptthat the smudging of the backs of the sheets, when the ribbons are usedfor transfer purposes between the sheets in place of carbon paper, isfainter than is the case with fully inked ribbons, notwithstandinggeneral impressionsto the contrary. It has also been pro- ;o posed tocoat inked ribbons with an amorphous cellulose material' onone or bothsides either by applying cellulose solutions directly to the ribbon; orby applying a cellulose sheet, such as cellophane, thereto. While itmight be possible ;5 to make these cellulose coatings sufiiciently denseto render them imperviops to the ink on the ribbon, I have found that,at least in so far as a cellophane coating on one side of the ribbon isconcerned, it will not produce a perfect arrange- ,0 ment for the reasonthat the cellophane ripples and creeps relatively to the ribbon when thetype is applied thereto. Furthermore, probably because of unequalexpansion between the ribbon and the cellophane hacking, the ribbon does`5 not lie fiat but tends to .curl at the edges and dish on thecellophane side, so that the ribbon is liable and likely to. becomemisaligned in a transfer machine, such as a typewriter or the like.Also, it is 'difflcult to secure a permanent 0 bond between thecellophane and the fabric, so

that it will not loosen after a time and curl away from the fabric.

It is the principal object of this invention to provide 'animperviously-backed transfer ele- 5 ment, which overcomes theaforementioned ob- 1931, Serial No. 568,765

jection to the former types of inked ribbons and yet is inexpensive andsimple to manufacture, readily handled, and extremely effective fortransferring sharp, clean and clear-cut impressions to a sheet of paperor the likel without smudging the back of the front sheet, curling orwearing out rapidly, and which may be used over and over again withoutmaterial damage or impairment.

In accordance with this object, the preferred embodiment of the newtransfer element of this invention comprises a web, ribbon, or sheet ofporous material such as woven fabric, fully'or partially impregnatedwith a suitable transfer material, such as type ink, and applied to orhaving applied to the back or type side thereof a strip or sheet ofspecial paper, which is thin so as not to interfere with the typeimpression and yet is strong enough to resist pulling or tearing forceswithout rupturing; which is relatively stiff and to`ugh so as to holdthe fabric fiat against curling and resist creasing or folding andespecially puncturing; which is smooth so as to offer little frictionalresistance to passing between sheets of paper; which is impervious tothe ink or other transfer material in the fabric, even if driven againstthe fabric by heavy blows of the type; and which is unaffected byatmospheric changes and appears to have the same expansion as the fabricand be unstretchable or stretchable equally with the web so as to adherefirmly thereto and not ripple 'or creep when struck by the type, wherebythe element retains its original smoothness after being used many times.

For a better understanding of this invention, reference is made to theaccompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 illustrates the type orimpression side of the new transfer element of this invention, theimpervious back of which is shown partially removed to expose the inkedweb;

Fig. 2 illustrates the transfer side thereof and three ways of securingthe inked web and the back together to form the unitary transferelement;

Fig. 3 illustrates' a modified form of the new transfer element, inwhich the impervious back is of greater width or area than the inkedweb.

In Figs. `1 and 2 of the drawing, numeral 10 designates a web of porousmaterial, preferably woven textile fabric or cloth .of uniform texture,although it may be simply a porous felted material, or the like, whichneed not be self-supporting in itself since it is mounted on' aself-supporting back in a manner to be described. This web isillustrated as being in ribbon or tape form,

for transferring only one or a' few lines of type number of lines orwidely spaced lines of type impressions at a time to a paper Sheet orthe like,

being usable instead of the usual Sheet of carbon 10 paper, for example.

`'I'he web 10-is fully impregnated with ink or other transfer material,or is Semi-impregnated or coated with ink or other transfer materialonly on one surface, preferably before it is provided with theimpervious back, although the inking of the web may be done after thehacking step, especially when the web is made of the felted or othersubstantially non-Self-Supporting porous material described.

The impervious hacking Sheet or strip 11 of the web is made of a specialpaper, which is tough, strong, comparatively smooth, Semi-transparent,relatively stifi, and impervious to the ink or other transfer materialin or on the web or ribbon 10. The paper of which the hacking sheet orstrip 11 is made is manufactured from a hydrated pulp containing anexcessive quantity of sulphite, and

this pulp is given an additional beatinglto make it homogeneous, so thatwhen it is calendered, it becomes a Semi-transparent, artificialparchment, which is Smooth and crackles and appears to have been treatedwith Wax, parafiin or oil, although no such materials, which would tendto prevent permanent gluing to the web 10, are employed. The hackingSheet 11 is accordingly substantially non-porous, i. e., there are nothrough or connecting pores of sufficient size to admit the ink ortransfer material, either when the latter is forced against the Sheet byheavy blows of the type or by capillary action.

The hacking Sheet 11 is applied to the web or ribbon 10, or vice versa,with a suitable adhesive or glue, and the web or ribbon 10 and thehacking Sheet 11 are pressed or rolled firmly together. This adhesive orglue, designated 12 in Fig. 2, preferably comprises a mixture ofgum-arabic, dextrin and glycerin. If the web or ribbon 10 is Semi-inkedor coated with the transfer material on one surface, the hacking sheet11, is, of course, applied to the uninked surface thereof. Also the webor ribbon may be inked or coated with transfer material after thehacking Sheet 11 is applied thereto if desired, as aforementioned.Instead of securing the web or ribbon 10 and the backat 13 or clampedtogether along their edges with thefmetal clips 14, also shown in Fig.2. These metal clips 14 are V-shaped in section when open and areSlipped o'ver the edges of the -superimposed ribbon and hacking sheetand fiattened to clamp the ribbon and hacking Sheet together. Theseclips 14 also Serve to Stiffen the transfer elements.

It will be seen that the web or ribbon 10 and the hacking Sheet 11, sojoined together, adhere permanently to form a unitary transfer element.The web or ribbon 10 and the backing sheet 11 appear to havesubstantially the same'degree of elasticity so that they stretch orexpand substantially equally and not relatively to each other, and so donot creep, or ripple relatively to each other, but remain flat andsmooth at all times under the severest usage and changing weatherconditions, so that the new inked rihbo n remains effective and may beused over and over again. The hacking Sheet 11 is relatively stiff sothat it lends body to the web or ribbon 10, whereby it permanently holdsits flat Shape, resists creasing and, because of its toughness andstrength, resists tearing and puncturing. cause the hacking sheet 11overlies the ribbon or web, the type is not clogged with ink, dirt orthread particles if applied directly to the ribbon and so the typeremains clean and produces a sharp clear-cut impression at all times.Likewise, the hacking strip 11 also prevents the new transfer elementfrom smudging the back of the front sheet or page or sheets or pages ifplaced between sheets or pages instead of the usual carbon' paper, and,because of its smoothness and anti-friction properties, the hackingsheet does not cling to the front Sheet.

In Figs. 1 and 2 the web or riboon 10 and the hacking sheet 11 areillustrated as entirely coextensive. The modified form of Fig. 3illustrates a hacking Sheet 11' having a greater area or width than theweb or ribbon 10', so that the opposite edges of the hacking Sheet 11'extend heyond the corresponding edges of the web or rihbon 10'. Withthis arrangement, the edges of the web or ribbon 10' are protectedagainst fraying or undue wear, and are prevented from Spreading so thata uniform density of ribbon and ink is maintained. This modified form ofthe transfer element also has the same advantages of the first formillustrated by Figs. 1 and 2.

The new transfer element of this invention may be supplied in any sizeand Shape, such as in ribbon, tape, band, Sheet, or other forms, and,following the arrangement shown in Fig. 3, the hacking Sheet 11' 'may belarger than the web 10' to any desirahle degree, Such as a large hackingSheet 11 of page size having one or more small webs 10' Secured atvarious points thereon for tahulating purposes, for example, thisarrangement being more durable and usable longer than the usualcarbon-spotted forms or transfer sheets, since the hacking Sheet 11' ismore durable and the web 10' holds more transfer material than thecarbon Spots can Supply.

Various other arrangements and modiflcations of this invention liewithin its scope and it is to be understood that the invention is notlimited by the preferred embodiments illustrated and described herein.V

I claim:

1. In a transfer element, the combination of a porous web at leastpartiallyimpregnated with ink, a Sheet of material impervious to the inkSecured coextensively to one Surface of said web, said Sheet and webhaving substantially the same degree of elasticity.

2. In a transfer element, the combination of a porous web at leastpartially impregnated with

